Toys are a significant part of popular culture. They reflect us and in many ways help shape us. Americans spend more than $30 billion each year on toys, and toy-advertising expenditures top a billion dollars annually. Every holiday season brings throngs of parents into stores, looking for the must-have toy of the season.

The Blockbuster Toy explores the birth of today's massive toy brands to better understand why they have become record-breaking bestsellers. Gene Del Vecchio shows you what it takes to create a toy that will have a massive impact on the cultural landscape.

Designed to help toymakers "follow the smile," this book includes the "how-to" you need to know to make your toy the next "must-have." It's also an insightful peek into the toy world for all those intrigued to know the secrets that impact everyday pop culture.